A Change of the Tide
by Leia Belle Organa
Summary: Elena finds herself changing during her transition. The only thing that makes it easier is knowing that she and Stefan can finally have their happy ending, but there are still bumps in the road they must swerve around.
1. Chapter 1

A Change of the Tide

Co-authored by the talented writer, Stefan-Deserves-Romance

Chapter 1:

A Change of Pace

It had been only a few days since Elena's transition, and she was already having trouble coming to terms with it. She felt different, it wasn't just becoming a vampire; it was more like her persona was heightened.

Elena couldn't handle being in her old house. All the memories were just too much to bear. Jeremy had tried to make her feel at home, but to no avail. Elena had to leave. She called Stefan and asked if he wouldn't mind her moving in with him. Stefan, instantly, loved the idea, yet never wanted to push her to do so. He stated that she was more than welcome to move into his home.

Elena, immediately packed her things. She carried them out to her car. She forced herself to look back. She saw her home. The home that held all of her past memories. A mix of feelings flew through her. She happy to leave it, but, in a way she also felt sad to leave it. Now that she was a vampire, she knew leaving was a blessing in disguise. Now, she and Stefan could have the life they always wanted to have. They could, now, truly be together forever. Staying human would have prevented their happiness. Now, there was nothing standing between their lives together. Elena sighed, "To be a vampire, I have to let go of the human me."

She packed her suitcases into her car. Once it was loaded, she drove off towards the Salvatore boarding house.

When Elena got there, she pulled into the driveway. Stefan was right there to greet her. He smiled, as Elena got out of the car, and helped her unload her things. They walked her luggage up to their room. Elena loved the fact that Stefan's bedroom was now hers as well. Sleeping in this room always made her feel safe and whole. "Stefan, thank you," she spoke up.

"Of course, anything to make this easier," Stefan replied.

"Stefan, please don't say it like that," Elena pleaded. "This is a good thing, it's something I've always wanted."

Stefan gave her a puzzled look, shrugging.

"I always wanted to be with you, forever." "Now I can be," Elena stated, with a smile.

Stefan began to smile, too. Elena wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. Stefan replied, deepening the kiss.

"I love you," Elena whispered in his ear.

"I love you," Stefan whispered back. "I just wish that you didn't have to go through this."

"I'm not," Elena firmly, stated. "I'm not afraid of becoming a vampire, because I'll have you to teach me the ropes," she finished, with a laughing smile.

Stefan grinned, happy to hear those words, happy to have her in his arms. "We'll get through this one day at a time," he stated.

Elena nodded, "One day at a time."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Disagreeing Blood

The first day of hunting was quite a mind blowing experience. Stefan instructed Elena how to chase after the doe and pounce on it. Elena could barely believe what she was about to do. She grasped Stefan's hand with all of her strength. Stefan knew that this was too much too soon for her, so he told her to close her eyes, while he attacked the deer.

Elena opened her eyes, and saw Stefan drinking from its neck. He looked up at her and motioned her to come. She complied and dashed towards him. Stefan guided her to the doe's neck and Elena began to drink. The blood tasted sweeter than human blood, yet had a sourer aftertaste.

Elena stopped feeding and lifted her head in shock of what she had done. The doe squirmed as it dashed away from them. Elena practically stumbled when it brushed past her.

"Hey," Stefan, softly spoke as he began wiping her blood covered face. "You did it."

"Will it be…?" Elena started to say.

"It'll be fine, bigger animals are more resilient to vampires, it'll heal on its own," Stefan answered.

"Stefan, I feel sick, I don't think the blood agreed with me," Elena stated in fear.

"That's a perfectly natural reaction, I had to choke the stuff down for two months, before I could stomach it," Stefan replied, reassuringly. "Now, let me show you how to properly use your vampire speed."

He led her to another part of the forest and began explaining how to focus while you run.

"All right, it's like the start of a race, you focus on where you want to go, and push off with all your strength," Stefan explained.

"Haaha," Elena laughed. "I was a cheerleader, I sucked at track."

"You can do it," Stefan reassured, as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Just focus."

Elena opened her mouth in laughter, "I can't; all I can think about is your hands on my body."

"Oh, okay," Stefan replied, releasing her, while taking a step back.

"No," Elena giggled, reaching back for his arms and placing them back around her. "I didn't say stop, it feels good."

"Um," Stefan chuckled. "What does it feel like?"

Elena sighed, as Stefan brushed his fingers against her arms. "It feels like you're touching every nerve in my body."

"Everything is heightened, taste, sight, smell," Stefan stated, as whispered in her ear, "Touch," and began kissing her neck.

Elena felt her entire body ignite, by Stefan's kisses. She could hardly contain herself, she wanted him; she needed him. She turned around and started kissing him, fiercely.

Stefan complied and instantly picked her up and dashed her against the nearest tree, kissing her passionately.

He unzipped her jacket as she pulled up his shirt. He helped her and threw it on the side. Their kisses became hungrier and fiercer. Elena was enjoying herself she much, she almost ignored the pain in her stomach.

She suddenly felt sick and knew she had to vomit. She immediately pushed Stefan away. Stefan was in utter shock and held her arm. Elena dashed away from him and stopped on the other side of the forest. She bent down and began to vomit up the deer blood.

"Elena!" Stefan cried, as he raced to her side.

Elena stood up and turned towards him, feeling disgusted with herself. "Stefan, I'm sorry, I couldn't hold it down."

"Hey, forget about it, we'll try something else," he comforted, embracing her tightly.

"I'm sorry," she repeated.

"Elena, none of this is your fault!" Stefan, firmly stated, kissing her forehead.

"I have an idea, why don't we go back to the house, I have a surprise for you," Stefan exclaimed.

"You do?" "What?" Elena asked in puzzlement.

"You'll find out," Stefan, replied, smiling.

They walked back through the forest. Stefan stopped to pick up his shirt. Then guided Elena back towards the boarding house.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

A Question of Beliefs

"Just stay right here and wait for me," Stefan motioned.

Elena giggled feeling Stefan's lips touching her ear.

"Be good and promise me to shut down your newly invented supernatural hearing," he whispered, playfully.

A disapproving growl from Elena made Stefan chuckle to himself. After all they've been through their rhythm hadn't changed a bit. Their relationship turned out to be made of the same tough stock as die hard TV show shippers, it was indestructible and imperturbable. Sometimes not as mature as preferable but pure and unique.

"Believe me, you can manage that," he finished, as he could not hold back his enthusiasm, while his happiness started to show through. Stefan, gladly, took the chance for his feelings to reach surface, instead of having them buried under tons of regret, self-pity and unanswered love. He could he tell that when it came to his Elena, as well as the books about him could tell dozens of stories and never get old. Their bond had never been torn apart. Symptoms of old age had made the cord a possibility, but it didn't break it. It never would! They never would!

How much time had passed since she last attended to Stefan's room – days, months, years? She couldn't put her finger on it but it had been long… Too long! Her fingertips brushed devoutly over the old yellow books she had loved to rummage in while Stefan was away on a hunt…or simply getting her a glass of water.

"I haven't read this one for far too long," Elena commented, as she pulled out the book that still held the most important meaning to her… To them.

"And that's why?" A happy, yet love drunken Stefan asked her, with a comical tone in his voice. His butterflies were somersaulting, as she leaned her herself closer against him. Her hands were intertwined, her lips spotted the tiniest kisses all over his neck. "Lena, are you trying to distract me?" This was rather a conclusion than a complaint. He would never complain about Elena kissing him.

Elena tried to hold back her tears. Hearing Stefan use her "nickname" made her overflow with joy. She loved hearing it… She loved being with him… She loved him!

"And if I did then what?" She asked him, playfully. She had missed kissing him more than she ever thought possible but it was true, she wanted this "matter" to be put aside as long as possible. She wanted to forget her "feeding" trails and focus on the most important thing… their love. But a relationship cannot be measured only according to its sexual activities. A true and fundamental relationship is built on belief, and trust.

"Do you remember the night we had only just met and you spent the entire night at my house?" "We talked about all the world and your brother." "Our dreams, our plans and this particular book here." Elena stated, as her eyes pointed to the corpus deictic. It had been far more secure and protected being guarded by all the other books than the ones whom hearts had reserved a special place for this one and only, this first edition of their commonalities. It still felt hard as a rock yet light as a feather in the palm of her hands. It was home. Everything about him was home.

"You mean, _Wuthering Heights_?" "My very first present of what you held the boldness to give it back to me?" Stefan whispered returning the favour to pepper her slender neck with kisses. Her giggling was music to his ears. Beethoven himself couldn't have composed something more beautiful.

"I just liked the image I had of you, lounging comfortably on bed reading this book. It's unlike for boys to like any literature comparable to this. It reminds me of how compassionate you are." Her love declaration couldn't have come more from the heart.

"I wanted to give something to you," Stefan stated. He had wanted to capture the best moment. He felt like he was experiencing it now.

How was it possible she had forgotten about the announced surprise he had promised her? So unlike other girls. But maybe that's exactly the point, she wasn't like any other girls. She was Stefan Salvatore's girlfriend, and soul mate! Only reluctantly, she let go of his hand knowing he'd come back to her in a heartbeat like a boomerang.

"I just wanted it to have a deeper meaning," Elena stated. "This book, to me, represents our eternal love for each other."

Stefan smiled, tears filling in his eyes, "It does to me too."

They kissed each other again, this time making it last as long as their breaths could hold. The book, itself, was an antique. Quite an old book, whose pages were still empty and waiting to be filled.

"With all the adventures lying ahead of us," Stefan concluded Elena's unspoken sentence. "There's nothing we can't face."


End file.
